Emperor Tewodros and Ato Meles

I watched a video of an interview Ato Meles gave to a woman journalist. The edited version on You Tube and our Independent Diaspora sites starts without introduction and ends abruptly. We have no idea who the questioner is and why she is granted a one to one interview. The role she took in the video is that of a question reader not an inquisitive reporter.

Her questions were very profound and far-reaching and she settles for the explanation her host offers without a follow up question or probe further to get insight into the startling conclusions by The Leader. I figured the questions asked and the explanations given are meant to inform the faithful regarding the line of thought currently being favored by headquarters. That is the normal workings of a totalitarian system. The Leader telegraphs his wishes in various ways. The Soviets were good at using pictures to show who is ascending based on proximity to the boss. In the old East Europe when the Party paper bloat your picture from old files the game is over.

In this interview Ato Meles was deflecting responsibility from the approaching famine and he was giving the opposition some things to chew on since he believes they ‘hate’ him intensely no matter what. I was saddened to see that he was discussing such profound issues as the origin of our old Country the wisdom and heroism our forefathers and the recurring famine as if he was discussing some mundane issue say like climate change. There is no life in his monologue.

This was a very important and far reaching discussion. It is true they say action speak louder than words. When it comes to Ato Meles his action and his words go together. In this “interview” he manages to tell us in his own words where the justification for those actions originate from. We cannot ask for a better interview how ever distasteful it might be.

It took him all thirty seconds into the interview to get into the ring and toss our early leaders around like a beach ball. Here is the profound question that led into this incredible answer.

Question: When we think of the past generation they have left bad fingerprints specially during the final moments of the Millennium we had dangers of disintegration so what do you think the causes are?

Ato Meles: Generally for the last thousand years or so our economic and political system has been backpedaling. Several attempts were made. For example if we start with Atse Tewodros during his perioed the Japanese were embarking on centralization. Japan’s atttempt succedded and while Atse Tewodros did not. Tewodros choose conquest to unite the country and he died running one end to the other bare footed. He did not succed. Without fully understanding the source and foundation of our unity and waiting too long without a solution we were faced with disintegration. While the Japanese learnt from the westerners and concentrated on development. Wheras on our part our develompmetal efforts were full of ups and downs, not successful and wrong. When we take Atse Tewodros his plan to create Ethiopia was by conquest. Thus he even thought it civilized to manufacture weapons and succed in makeing an artillery gun. This direction did not work. After that if we take Atse Minilk he did instead of making foreign technology into ours he took the direction of relying on foreign professionals. Without the fedual nature of the society he just gave it some modern face thus the poverty acclerated and that is the other cause of the danger of our disintegration.

I am not a historian by profession. I hate to disagree but I find Ato Meles’s interpretation of my history regarding my leaders and their place in our past to be a little puzzling. I did not feel insulted. I was not upset. How could I? Thinking of Atse Tewodros like that is beyond my capacity. My humble love, great respect and gratitude forever knows no bounds when it comes to Emperor Tewodros II. He is our collective pride.

Putting that aside there is one issue that has been bugging me since I watched the video. I was trying to come up with an incident where leaders have dismissed their past so casually. I am still looking. Nations are very fragile things. Their egos have to be massaged constantly. Successful leaders know how to do that. They make their people move mountains. Even the most powerful, richest of nations wave their flags and play their national anthems constantly.

You would never hear President Obama discussing the slave ownership of Washington or Jefferson. That would be considered disrespectful. The Indian Prime Minster will never disparage Mahatma Gandhi and live to tell about it. President Zuma does not look down in condensation at the great Kingdoms of the Zulus or the father of his country Nelson Mandela. Historians can theorize all what they fancy but leaders create myth and accentuate the positive legacy. How could you doubt the strength of your foundation while you are trying to build a whole house on top of it? That is my problem.

Ato Meles as usual is standing things head down. Comparing Ethiopia to Japan is wrong and Japanese history is not like that. Japan is a homogenous Nation. It is an Island. Ethiopia is made up of several Nationalities and ethnic groups. Ethiopia is not an Island but surrounded by both friends and enemies. When Tewodros ruled Ethiopia Japan have a weak Emperor and the Shogun ruled in his name. I believe there was one Japan.

When it comes to Emperor Tewodros, I his humble subject is not learned enough to defend him. I am not worthy of that honor. But I cannot sit by when my Emperor’s vision is questioned. I am happy to take the blows however soft. To start with Emperor Tewodros succeeded in his vision of great Ethiopia. Ato Meles is my first exhibit. He is sitting in Arat Kilo because my Emperor laid the foundation one hundred fifty years ago. Now about the business of the Cannon gun, in my opinion it was a brilliant move. The British were approaching from the North, the West and the South. The Italians were sniffing at the Red Sea Coast and the French were probing from the East. The contention between Christianity and Islam was still not settled around us.

Emperor Tewodros understood having a big gun is a good deterrence. He also needed more weapons to extend the reach of his Empire. Surely you don’t expect him to Fed Ex his intentions to King Tona or poke King Aba Jifar to be friends on Facebook. Those days you sent an army and subdue. That is how Nations are forged. It is not unique to us. In fact isn’t that why we are famous? They say with envy you guys have never been colonized and we nod with swollen chest. That is a special gift from our forefathers.

One thing about Emperor Tewodros, he loved his country so much. When he lost to the British he did not shoot the hostages and he was not going to be taken prisoner to give the British a trophy. They have their people he was dead and there was no reason to stay. They burned our churches and ransacked the palace. They stole valuable items like Kibre Negest that they display in their museums and some are sold to collectors. When Ethiopia rises we will bring it all back to Magdella.

Again I am not worthy of defending Emperor Menelik. The whole world knows the true Lion of Adwa. If it was not for Menelik and his multi National army today, we will be speaking Italian and dining on spaghetti. I don’t see any reason why I should say more do you?

What was the reason of all this negative venting by The Leader? I have a theory. I am glad you knew that. My theory is based on the psychological concept developed by Sigmund Freud that stated ‘people use psychological projection to reduce their own stress or feelings of guilt.’ Simply stated Psychological projection is a form of defense mechanism in which someone attributes thoughts, feelings, and ideas which are perceived as undesirable to someone else.’ Ato Meles is projecting his own failure onto our old Emperors. I will attempt to show how.

When Emperor Tewodros appeared on the scene that was a period known as Zemene Mesafint or the Age of the Princes. The Agaws, Amharas, Tigreans, and the Oromo were in the process of creating mini kingdoms. That is what Tewodros conquered. Now what did Ato Meles do? He created the Zemene Warlords. Kilil is reversing the vision of Emperor Tewodros. Projection number 1.

Emperor Menelik was fascinated with technology. Menelik started a banking system, a postal system and signed the agreement with the French to build the one and only railway system. He defended our honor at Adwa and made black people all over the planet very proud. On the other hand during the reign of The Leader he fought with Eritrea and lost, fought with Somali Warlords and lost and is witnessing the starvation of millions of our people. We lost five thousand people at Adwa and over eighty thousand at Badme. Projection #2

When asked about famine being synonymous for Ethiopia The Leader said, “I feel ashamed, it is disgraceful but these things can are not the mistakes of certain individuals” A very curious statement. That is what he wanted to convey all along. That is why the questioner brought it out of the blue. It is interesting. President Obama inherited a country on the verge of a meltdown. That was two years ago. Today folks are mad at him because he has not fixed the problem yet. His re election depends on him making the economy right.

Ato Meles came to power twenty years ago. That is ten times Mr. Obama’s reign. Ato Meles has been blaming the Derg since day one. That was not enough, now he is going back in time. By the next interview he might include Negest Saba. All this to avoid taking responsibility for failed policies. Instead of remorse and shame he comes with excuses. He was given a task and he failed to perform. No one is responsible except him. Not Tewodros, not Menelik, not Mengistu but the person in who is charge now is the owner of the debacle. No need to shift responsibility.

It is wrong for Ato Meles to use the power of his office and the total control of the media to subject our country to such distorted interpretation of our glorious history. It is not all right to discuss imaginary disintegration of our country so lightly. For a lot of us in the Diaspora our country is the one thing that keeps us going when things get tough. Mother Ethiopia is the source of our pride. It is a shame to stand on the shoulders of such giants and deny their achievements.

64 thoughts on “Emperor Tewodros and Ato Meles”

No comment on King Yohannes IV? A man living in Miniliks palace is trying to dismiss King Minniliks contribution to Ethiopian Civilization, what a sick racist man.
1- The first long distance Telephone line(dated before USA first long distance)
2- The first Electric generator
3- The First Post Office
4- Road
5- First automotive
6- First Rail road and Train
7- The first Modern School
8- The first Modern Palace Meles lives in
9- The first African leader who beat European colonizer
10- The first Hotel
11- The first Bank
12- Abolished slavery
13- Granted equal right for all regardless of Ethnicity
14- The first Hospital
15- I think Meles should call Professor Richard Pankhurst before opening his dirty big mouth.

Well written answer to Melses. Great job MR Yilma Bekele. very very nice “psychological concept developed by Sigmund Freud that stated ‘people use psychological projection to reduce their own stress or feelings of guilt.’ Simply stated Psychological projection is a form of defense mechanism in which someone attributes thoughts, feelings, and ideas which are perceived as undesirable to someone else.’ Ato Meles is projecting his own failure onto our old Emperor} You needled it .

I am sick of diaspora who lamen about so called womanizer and cruel Atses. Forget it. Tewodros I thought were a good leader but he was such a short sighted, hasty and emotion driven person obsessed with glory who speeded up his down fall. Menelik was even worse,a womanizer and brutal man who disrespected all people of the South.

It is with great sadness that glorifying Atses caused our divisions based on religion and ethnicity. Sad we still don’t acknowledge it. Otherwise, we will go down spiraling the path of destruction. Why you guys not worry when Eritrea separated? Why not the oromos or south or Somalis who have much better reason to separate?
I am not Weyane. But on this one I agree Ethiopian histpry is a myth.

a very revealing psychological analysis! Meles has always been filled with a huge void and deficiency about Ethiopian history. His inferiority complex has been and is still deep-seated. The good news is what he says doesn’t matter anymore, as Ethiopian history and its founding heroes have been hailed by Ethiopian & International historians.

Meles and the rest of you come from the same school or should I say school of thought. We need solution for the problems in our country. You guys are on each other’s throat. I see non of you to be solutions but problems. My generation can’t wait to see all of you gone to far far land from this world. Then we can have politics with no grudges led by young politicians. I am serious that all of you students from the 60’s and 70’s era need to retire. You got too much baggage. I hope Meles will be gone soon too.

This Banda is all against Emperor Menelik while living in Menilik’s palace, because Emperor Menelik stopped his parents’ and grand-parents’ dream of eating pasta be-enqulal under colonial rule. Nothing else. This Banda has even no moral autority to mention the name Menelik.

I agree with some of your arguments. However, this article reflects how stuborn you are.

“When Emperor Tewodros appeared on the scene that was a period known as Zemene Mesafint or the Age of the Princes. The Agaws, Amharas, Tigreans, and the Oromo were in the process of creating mini kingdoms. That is what Tewodros conquered. Now what did Ato Meles do? He created the Zemene Warlords. Kilil is reversing the vision of Emperor Tewodros. Projection number 1.”

I wonder how you dare write such stuborn paragraph. do you mean that we should be proud of Atse Tewdros because he created Ethiopian empire by shading the blood of innocent, non abisinians??!!! you may be proud of him coz you gat what you need. but for me it pains me when I see such an article.

even if I dont like Meles, Meles is much smarter than you guys who are stuborn and out of touch of the reality on the ground.

Tewodros’ understanding of Europeans, before the Crimean war, was something like how Lalibela would have understood the Crusaders in the 12th century. They were, as far as he was conerned, Christians who would be of help to him to free Jerusalem from Ottoman Turks.

Tewodros’ foreign enemy was the Turks in Massawa and the Sudanese/Egyptians who killed his father in Western Ethiopia, i.e. Kuwara.

It was after the Crimean war he began to suspect the British.He never understood why the British and French would gang together with Ottoman Turks against Russia in the Crimean war. Turkey being his enemy, a muslim power in control of Jerusalem and the others being Christians.

Regardless though, Tewodros’s view of the Eurpeans after the Crimean was IN ONE WORD — Ambivalent. Yes he took Europeans into captivity but they were never mistreated and they were captured ONLY for the purpose of getting technological know how. One of the reasons for his defeat at Meqdela was his ambivalence with respect to the British. He probably would have liked to defeat them but at the same time he would have been just as happy if he were able to draw a peace treaty with them. This was ofcourse against his nature and the ensuing weakness of leadership contributed to his army’s easy defeat.

Elias,
A hateful person does not post this video on their web site. As much as you have stood firmly against Meles and company ( well, your head was hunted at one point and you are in exile of a country you love. Only you know what it means and feels). This video is In some ways, until it is torn apart and analized, and except Meles’ abreviated view of past leaders and the millenum, it is a favourable interview on his behalf on the surface. For some reason, he skiped Atse Yohannes and Haile Selassie I; all the blame of poverity was put on Menilik.
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I happen to watch this interview a few days back somewhere ( sorry forgot the source). Although Meles could be open to several critism, this interview has significance in holding him at his own offer for solution ” by giving and receiving” ” by “living cooperativly with neighbouring countries”, “by discussing and respecting each other” etc.

His views on diplomacy, the nile dam, his comparison of Japan with technology and the arts is progressive. That being his views, his action in comparison could be left to all Ethiopians who live/d there under his reign, the most objective and well enlightened, the highly functioning and thoroughly committed opposition and the general public etc. His view on the arts surprized me because many Tigrays on forums make fun of Amharas highly cultivated history of the arts although they understand part of the arts through their own music.

Re: Yilma bekele’s commentary

The humility admited by the writer in consideration of the grand history of past great historical leaders of Ethiopia is most likely shared by many who love Ethiopia but lack a genuine and thorough understanding of history of the country. At the same time, you thought and spoke on behalf of the way most Ethiopians understand and feel the sentiment of these past leaders. ( may be with the exception of what OLF claims of its recreated and fabricated history for the most part atleast). Meles has touched on Ethiopia’s civlization of 3,000 years. His focus on politics was more on the last century-plus since Minilik II, the Derg to the current TPLF/EPRDF except Haileselassie.

-“When Emperor Tewodros appeared on the scene that was a period known as Zemene Mesafint or the Age of the Princes. The Agaws, Amharas, Tigreans, and the Oromo were in the process of creating mini kingdoms. That is what Tewodros conquered. Now what did Ato Meles do? He created the Zemene Warlords. Kilil is reversing the vision of Emperor Tewodros. Projection number 1″. Yilma B.

*The above might be the core question, confusion and the most provoking.

-‘We lost five thousand people at Adwa and over eighty thousand ery timeat Badme. Projection #2″ YB

Sifnificant observation although the numbers in Adwa is not commonly articulated may be because of the very time period it took.

-‘Not Tewodros, not Menelik, not Mengistu but the person in who is charge now is the owner of the debacle. No need to shiresponsibility.” YB

Every past leader has conributed good and bad and takes responsiblity. A current leader can not be the entire owner of the debacle.

Although I am greatful you took the time to enlighten us and you are an informed person and some what passionate ( in this casse a plus), the translation on the interviewers question and Meles’ response has a significant omission however brief.

Trust is extremly important to welcome one’s views as a standard of truth. Well politics, history, journalism in the entire world did not
make it by being entirely trustworthy and that included Meles himself. So pardon me. I think we need objective translaters and they will be invaluable in the future Ethiopia ( That includes ethnic languages as well ). You did fantastic, but if the omission is deliberate, it gets devalued.

The comparison between President Obama’s economics pressure in two years and Meles’ 20 years is a grand political issue that begs
for a balance of power and how Ethiopian regime functioned the last two decades.

Hello Elias,
In the leave comment name box, differnt names show up. At times it is not obvious if a comment is awaiting moderation. If my first comment is stored, please kindly post the later one. The first one might be cut off or not posted any way.

You guys (the neftegnas) never learn anything or worse refuse to learn when it comes to Amhara hegemony and rule. Why do you keep calling the nefetegna history of the north the history of Ethiopia? You know for sure that it is not the history of the Oromo, the Somali, the Affar, the Beni-Shangul, etc. etc., Much of the southern regions of present day Ethiopia is conquered by Minilik not more than 130 years or so; how does that fit with the fabricated teret-teret of 3000 years of Ethiopia? And yet, you called Tewodros and Minilik our “… collective pride” ignoring the history and the feelings of the majority of Ethiopians. Tewodros and Minilik could be the Amhara pride; they are definitely not my pride, not the pride of the vast majority of Ethiopians. If you want to wallow in your fantasy, go ahead and swim in it, but do not invite me into the dirty pool.

Your whole piece stinks to high heaven and it is just useless to respond to such drivel, but you lost me completely when you opined on what Meles said about your neftegna forefathers “ … such profound issues as the origin of our old Country the wisdom and heroism our forefathers and the recurring famine as if he was discussing some mundane issue say like climate change.” Really? climate issue are mundane in you opinion? Well, I guess that will reflect everything on the kind of person who you really are.

meles is talking about conquests that took place in the past as if he himself has not killed and murdered thousands on his way to Menelik’s palace from dedebit. the sad thing is meles has not stopped his murderous campaign, he still is torturing,imprisoning, people for speaking the truth, massacring people in man made famine. as far as I am concerned this is conquest, mr meles. What makes your conquest different from Tewdros is this :you took up arms to dismantle Ethiopia, Tewodros did it to unite Ethiopia.

why is it that what any amhara did is not part of Ethiopian history, is the oromo history not part of Ethiopian history
is the tigre, guraghie, afar,sidama history not part of Ethiopian history.

my friend, if you look at the world map 3000 years ago, you can hardly find any country that looked like what it is today. Nations have been formed and reformed throughout history. Ancient Ethiopia spreads upto Nubia in the north. most of Sudan itself was part of Egypt. In Europe you have similar situation, Belgium was part German partly French, same applies to Benelus countries.

Australia and newzealand were conquered by England. this is part of Australia’s history, whether you like it or not. Why dont you accept it.

this guy meles has lost contact to normal ethiopian thinking. All he knows is what the durty minded oportunist boot leakers respond to his narrow minded inferior knowledge or understanding of Ethiopian history, the way he falsly understand. The audience and observer in the world via internet and press media have got good chance to know him well through this interview. This electronic document testifys forever his worst mark (below 50 %) in ethiopian history.

King Yohannes is not mentioned, because he is row model for meles & bandas.Melses what do you know about leaders of Ethiopia you are not from Ethiopia the only thing you are good at is.
1. Selling any thing moves or alive in Ethiopia.
2. Killing people.
3. Selling Ethiopian land.
4. selling Ethiopian woman & kids.
5. selling Ethiopian history

While it last sit in Emperor Menlik palace eat your (KATE) that is the only thing you are good at.

Melses you will never be in Ethiopia histroy book once you are gone you are 20 year Cancer that Ethiopia people trying to get ride off that is all i want to say ( SHUT THE HELL UP!!)

Amazing! Tewordos vision was dashed by internal traitors who colaborated and lead the enemy of Ethiopia to the door steps of his fort. Had he succeeded we may not have gone to all the wars from Adua to Bademe. But thanks to Yohanis the dream of Tewodros was dashed and our region entered into perpetual cycles of wars and famines. Meles follows the foot steps his grandfather Yohanis and colaborating with the enemies of Ethiopia and the other Horn of African countries. Meles is ignorant of Ethiopian history, had he read the hisory and geography of his country, he would not have started the war at Bademe or Somalia. You can not trust him. Once he claimed a friend of Presedent Isaias and now he is his mortal enemy # 1. He went to war in Somalia because he felt Sheik Ahmed of Somalia was a terorist and an enemy of Ethiopia and now he is his best friend. Both of them are working day and night to remove President Isaias, the man who gave them refuge when they were down. They are lobbying day and night to sanction Eritrea, because the Eritrean leader is working hard to free his people from hanger, disease and ignorance while Meles and his friends in IGAD travel to Europian capitals and Wahington to dine and wine while beging for handout to feed their starving population. They creat the ceisis and benefit from it to acumulate wealth in the name of Poor Ethiopian farmers who have no acces to their God given land while their leaders auction in the name of investment. While the country is indulged in unpredecnt famine, IGAD countries are lobying right at this moment UN to Sanction Eritrean Mining idustry and the remitances the Eritrean diaspora to their families and their government. Eritrean diaspora population is willingly paying 2% of their net income to the government to help in the development of their country. I bet all the IGAD countries can not raise a penny from their diaspora citizens, it is pure gealousy. The Eritrean know and they can see the proof that their money is not wasted by the ‘dictator president’ to leave lavishely and send his children to Oxford or Harvard. He send his children to public schools in the country or he will not allow his daughter to skeep the National Military Service. The country is spared from the devastating famine in the Horn Africa, because the Eritrean were working hard to improve their agriculture building dams to collect water for irrigation and they are doing it without mortgageing their country. Ethiopians need to assess thier situation carefully and act accordingly. Right now Meles is going arround shoping for arms to start another war in Eritrea. Like his grand father Yohanis he want to lead the enemy to Asmara. We have a modern Teowdros in Asmara and history might repeat again in the region. The Eritreans are doing their part they are following their ‘dictator’ who is leading to greener pasture, while many Ethiopians are lead by ‘democrat’ to hell.

1-Ethiopia lost access to the red sea
2-Tplf killed hundreds of thausends of Amharas, Oromos, Gambellas, Somalis,etc in their own country.
3-Ethiopia is sold to the Arabs and Indians
4-Ethiopia became famous in AIDS epidemic
5-Prostitution became Ethiopia’s trade mark
6-Ethiopians became the famous asylum seekers all over the world
7-Millions died of TPLF made hunger
8-Ethiopia owes lender countries billions of dollars
9-TPLF bandas stole more than 8 billion dollar from hungry Ethiopians
10-TPLF bandas travel around the world to beg money from their white masters in the name of hungry Ethiopians.
11-Etc.
12-Etc.

The Adwa idiot Meles Zenawi could be easier for him to learn about Ethiopian history from a high school teacher than from a history professor. He should go back to high school to learn about Ethiopian history beyond 100 years.

Comparing the highly respected and loved patriotic leader Atse Twedros to the worst brutal dictator Meles that has left us landlocked by giving out ports to Eritrea with a gift of a billion dollar Ethiopian Tax Payers money — given the Ethiopian land our grand parents fought and died for to foreigners — a tyrant that has locked up and killed tens of thousands patriotic Ethiopians — a tyrant that has become billionaire by looting poor Ethiopians — a so called leader that works day and night to divide Ethiopians by ethnic groups and religions:-is like comparing Apple and mustard green. The cold-blooded tyrant and the Ethiopian hero Atse Twedros shouldn’t even be mentioned on the same breath.

Cry baby poster number 3 and number 4 stop blaming past leaders. Specially idiot political slut Meles Zenawi please stop crying and act as a grown man and take responsibility for your action, instead of insulting people who lived over 100 years ago why don’t you live today your own life you muscle head. Why don’t you compare yourself with the 21st century computer age leaders of the world. Instead of going forward you dwell in the past in envy. What a bone head person are you? you allways copy others work or you take left over women from your friends what a loser. Are you drunk or are you high on something. I am coming to Addis Ababa these days if I find you hairless Dedebit rat I am going to spank you for good until you sneeze blood and cry on your bf Alamudi’s arms. I am going also to hide your liar fake wife Azeb for 21days in Pastor Daniel’s office.

Meles is a laughable child like old man. He thinks like a child but he is bald like an old man. There seem to be serious confusion with Meles Zenawi. This is a man that called to a radio program in 2002 pretending to be a random Ethiopian (“Abebe”). In his address he talked about Tewodros, and jumped Yohannes and continued with Minilik. Meles is a doll, he is just a doll. He tries to look like a smart man, and basis his answer based on what someone told him a brief Ethiopian history.

Memory is funny, and it exposes people, memory is developed in several ways, the most beneficial known to man is the one developed through sitting reading, someone explaining what you read and dedicating attention while reading and listening. Because of this fact, education has been developed in that fashion, and it has been and continue to be the backbone of teaching method today. Meles Zenawi’s understanding of Ethiopia’s history came from someone telling him what that person thought. It could well be that person knows Ethiopia’s history, but Meles did not dedicate attention developing that memory.

Meles, I were your teacher, I would have dismissed you as someone that tried to run with the least amount of attention paid for great Ethiopian history, and would have tagged you for it. You are a shame to Ethiopia, (good thing you do not believe your Ethiopianness) but you sure are an embarrassment to the black race. People like you should keep quiet and never discuss topic that gives your stupidity. Meles go to school, real school, not the school the UK open university you were educated in, but a school where there is pressure studying and answering questions after thorough investigation of different books and materials.

Meles Zenawi said the past was a mistake, well Mr. Ernestine, in 1995 you promised Ethiopians would eat three times a day in ten fifteen years, today Ethiopians are dying of hunger after you have been on power for twenty years. Does he understand what he is saying? This man is sick, I don’t mean the jokingly we call some people sick, I mean he is truly ILL in the head and requires brain faculty test. I am not sure one test can clear him either, he needs a lengthy follow up to study what bores him and what pleases him. Because we need a complete psychological record of this idiot.

He also blamed the past as being oppressive, well the Somalis in Ogaden have been under DONATED FOOD AID BLOCKADE. Let me repeat the fact that the food is not made in Tigray or Ethiopia for that matter, it is the same food the Tigryans are feeding on, the food brought from donor nations that was supposed to have gone to feed Somali children, the children you Meles Zenawi made fatherless. The food donated by foreigners to the Somalis is being held off, so as to drive the people out of that region and to lease it for foreign oil companies to develop it for commercial purposes. Those foreign oil are pushing the program through IMF and you are making their wish come true, an empty region so they can tap on the oil freely without being watched, and all they have to do is Like Kofi Annan did for his son Kojo Annan, deposit monthly allowance to Meles Zenawi’s chosen person. Does Meles Zenawi with his flawed thinking know that we can read his little disconnected neurons developing mixed up message unsuited for decoding???

I wonder when people call this ugly gujile a smart leader. U don’t know smart. Anyone who says Meles smart is stupid himself. He is a cancer in Ethiopian history. He builds roads at a cost smart guys can build with 10 times less. He is just there to fill up the material needs of his own and cronies. But whatever they have taken we will take it back. That is how our history is build and we will or history repeats itself.

[Bona]
Most of the points you have raised is true. The prisoners were held for the sole purpose of securing the needed weapenery.When Teodros come in to power as you have e pointed out Egypt and Turkey was in close proximity to Ethiopia. He had a reason to be concerned abut the presence of the two powers. It was during this time that he turned his attention to, what he thought Christian, west. Unfortunately, the British don’t have accurate information about Teodros. When the news about the arrest hits the streets of London, they seem to have Avery biased view of Teodros. Due to mis information the public also seem to have a mixed reaction over the issue. Most suggested the British Government to send the requested military aid while the rest were hesitant about it. The reason for this ambivalent is seems to me, the British public was not sure if the diplomats were still alive.

In any case many times the British government pondered over this event before it decided to invade Ethiopia. Then the government commissioned Gen.Napire to move to the coast of Red sea. Even then the British government was reluctant to invade Ethiopia. The last decision to invade Ethiopia was made after Gen.Napier, through the help of British emissaries and the residents at the Red sea assure the government the possibility of a successful mission for his mission.
From the day the decision was made Napier was extensively helped by residents of Northern Ethiopia and Yohanese the forth to the very minute detail about Teodros.I mean Napier and his man have clear knowledge about the type of weapons and the size of army Teodros was commanding. Therefore it is clear even before the battle of Mekdela Theodore’s popularity was waning down. Napier know this, he made use the existing rivalry between the noblity, and the knowledge he had about the weakness of teodrose’s army before he decided to invade.

Ato Yilma: you suffer from the same disease the midget tyrant is suffering from. You both know Ethiopian history barely above the illiterates and you exploit that tiny knowledge to mislead and miseducate the population.

Why can’t you all go to a library and pick up a book or two on Ethiopian history? Or atleast research your point in encylopedias/wikipedia? nowadays even the amharic wikipedia has better information than nothing.

Ther is a day for every dog.One day Ethiopians will drag their enemies in the street and ailes of the country.Now for aseason we are being humilated,but the sun will rise tomore over the face of our people,every day we live we are coser to the day of victory. Until then,the liers,cheaters,the cunivers oand street smart chat adicts will plow over our backs.

u have been saying starvation will be out in the next five years….and still u keep saying…if i were you i will leave my post SOON and go away to somewhere …and you are still comparing yourself with DERG after 21 years …compare what you DID with the current situation……you are …NO WORDS TO EXPLAIN…..

Emperor Tewodros and Ato Meles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Meles is Internationally recognized Ethiopian leader for better for worse
who the hell is Tewodros? Any of the freaks so called Ethiopian leader before Mengistu is just in the head of chauvinist and remnant of daydreamers. Meles should pay price for his short comings and against humanity especially the atrocity, unspeakable crime against Oromo students, intellectuals,and business people. the killings and jailing and disappearance of innocent Ethiopians. However he is someone I know as leader, but none of the thives/freaks.

#1 Minillik II Continue
16- created the capital, Addis Ababa
17- The first telegraph lines
18- national currency; mint;
19- The first national newspaper
20- The first modern plumbing
21- The first modern Bridges
22- The first modern army
23- Dear Meles, please take your F***Arab a** out of Ethiopia. You did say you are an arab? I am sorry if i heard you wrong.

A Banda remains a Banda! Meles is a cheap demagogue who is determined to stay on power at the cost of our history, people, and entity. A scavenger Meles is dirtying heroes like Emperor Tewodros. He will never come a bit closer to our Emperor in his wildest dream. What do you expect from an alien whose father was an askari of Fascist Italians! He is good only for those enemies of Ethiopia.
God save our Ethiopia from parasite like Banda Meles and Co!

History recorded all and told us what had happened. Look at what his forefathers has done to this beloved country. What king Tewodros and Menilik had done is to unite the country making the present day Ethiopia and pass on to him. Meles is a man who doesn’t even give credit to his mother for giving him birth. He is capable to accuse his mother for feeding him, sending him to school and loving him while he is evil. He is just like his forefathers and I am telling you do not trust Tigrayans even if they are dead, as the will come back in a form of Meles type. Look Yohannes IV came back in 21th century named Meles. I was watching the interview considering Yohannes IV infront of me accusing Tewodros and Menilik II. But in reality it was his grandchild Meles.
He made this interview at this point in time, for pour oil on the fire so that he could hang on the power for yet another 20 years. Please come on Oromos and Amhara understand this evil mission, as we are moving forward to make better Ethiopia in the near future by united force with G7 and OLF and ONLF, he saw us as a threat and trying to halt and take us back to historical occurrences that we are not able to undo for what happened during those days. While we have our future ahead of us. We have taken a lesson from history, we found the way forward. We oromos will not be hold by your poisoned speech Mr. Meles. Old game is over. Divide and rule is an old fashioned game. This is 21 century, oromos are enlightene better than you think of. Present Amharans have understood the past is past what is important is our future together. Stop your game and make a way before your time is up.

Read below to understand more their (Tigrayans)deed.As Semira wrote it in Dec 2010.
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You are thought a distorted history. It was actually Alula who was inviting Italians to take Eritrean Highlands till the river of Mereb. Minilik has no power to negotiate what was not in his hand. what your people negotiated was taken by Minilik and Minilik was much interested on the rich south and south west than the Mereb Milash. His fault was ignoring your deal with Italians. below is the evidence

After the defeat of Yohannes by the Sudanese Mahdist, Ras Alula desperately tried to solicit the Italians for friendship, confirming that they can occupy all the lands up till the Mereb River (modern Eritrea), which is still the historical and modern border between Medri-bahri/Eritrea and Tigray/Ethiopia. Although by this point, it was evident that Ras Alula had already crossed the Mereb river and retreated back into Tigray, which completely ended his brief occupation over Medri-Bahri or Mareb Mellash as the Tigrayans called it. These following two quotes made by Ras Alula shows without a doubt, that leaders of Tigray/Abyssinia of the late 19th century, were in alliance with the Italians for their political survival and that the regions of north of the Mereb river were foreign to them.

But if he [Menilek] gives as a present what is out of his door [the Marab Mellash] the present is of no value.You want the country to the Mareb (Eritrean highlands) to cultitivate your gardens, to build your houses, to construct your churches….? We can give it to you. [And not menilek.] Let the Italian soldiers come to Adwa, I shall come to meet them like a friend. (1996, Ḥagai Erlikh, p. 164)http://books.google.com/books?id=z23jAA … riend&cd=1

“And you (Italians), why do you need to look for distant friends? We are neighbors (meaning Medri Bahri and Tigray) and can serve each other. You want the road to be open and I want the road to be open. You should guard to the Mereb River and I will guard it to Gondar and even beyond Gondar. We must be able to go to the coast to trade in order that our country (meaning Tigray) would flourish, with the help of God, Menelik is too far to be of any use to you. Let us make friendship between us. (1996, Ḥagai Erlikh, 164)”http://books.google.com/books?id=DaRyAA … +open&cd=2

now relax, and smell the true coffee. Your Yohannes brought the English and Alula giving Mereb milash lands to Italians. Both the previous administrations didn’t teach such hate eventhough they know the reality. it was seen as the regions politics in those period. If i were you, i wouldn’t consume myself on such crook way of dehumanizing Minilik, rather read and understand the failure you yourself contributed for that country

unfortunately if u became a leader in Ethiopia….it means u own the country Meles was professor, doctor, philospher, comedian and now historian. the kahat addict he speaks whatever comes to his mouth for the last 20 yrs its time to stand up and get rid of him.
keep up the good work elias

Great article in defense of the two great Emperors – Tewodros II and Menelik II – who had done so many good things to their country while Ethiopia was facing disintegration by its war lords. The two Emperors had ruled Ethiopia fairly and their names remain in the memories of many Ethiopians and others forever.

However, Meles Seitanawi (Zenawi) has never governed Ethiopia and has never been the legitimate ruler of Ethiopia like Tewodros and Menelik; therefore he has no right to ridicule the two splendiferous kings of a great country, Ethiopia.

As the author correctly stated Meles likes to shift his failure of governing Ethiopia, his killings of thousands of innocent Ethiopians, the collapse of his economic policy, the discouraging education system, and the high unemployment numbers in the country to the two emperors.

During his turbulent time in the 1970s, His Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie said to one of his ministers: “አንተ ያቦክሐው ሊጥ ማን ይጋግርልሐል.” In the same way, I would say to Meles Seitanawi (Zenawi) that no one is going to take responsibility for the destruction of Ethiopia; Meles must be accountable for every thing bad that has happened in Ethiopia for twenty years.

The little petty dictator who spews hatred and nonsense every time he opens his mouth has always displayed the mental capacity of a rogue child. he always acts like undisciplined child who has gone stray. like a bad kid, he commits ills and treachery all the time. and every time he gets caught, he blames some body else for his wrong doing. the little foul mouthed dictator now wants to tarnish the good name of esteemed Ethiopian leaders like emperor tewodros in order to defend the current famine created solely by him and his little woyanes. when is this guy going to surprise us by acting his age? I will do anything to hear him say something truthful and genuine. I am so sorry. people like him are misfits in the society. If there was genuine court system, sending this guy to jail would have been the prudent thing to do.

In Ethiopia, a land of extremes, truth lies always between two competing extremes. I watched the video and this is one of the few times that I have to agree with what Meles has to say addressing the questions raised by the strikingly gorgeous young lady. It is fact that Ethiopia has long been begging from Japan and other wealthy nations before he assumed power in Addis.

Political correctness aside, what he wanted to say when he compared Japan with Ethiopia is this. Japanese became prosperous very fast because they are much disciplined compared to Ethiopians. We are the poorest nation on earth because we are very undisciplined and full of subterfuge. Ethiopian history (which is only partial) is a history of constant feuding among many rivalries.

In the South’s case it is a history of pillaging properties of poor peasants and nomads by “Solomonic” emperors and their followers. Even worse, it is also a history of taking the land away and turning its tillers in to slaves for the unscrupulous and shiftless followers of emperor Minilik II. Unfortunately, to this date, southern part of the country is still being used as a quarry for its rich milk, coffee, honey, and gold to build north as the same way Minilik II used to ransack so that he can pay tax to Yohanes IV, and feed his thousands of listless army.

Besides these injustice committed against South, in the whole history of the country every leader had little time for other duties of nation building, stuck in the quagmire of continuous quelling of rebels. Unlike other leaders Meles is the first leader who has outsmarted both of his legitimate and illegitimate opposition while doing something for the country even if it is so small. Some of the opposition is illegitimate because like their many predecessors they are opposing in order to acquire power so that they can get the perks that come with it. Some of the opposition is legitimate because they are fighting to gain their individual and property right. If we are fighting for the same thing, there wouldn’t be close to 100 opposition parties.

What Meles said about Tewdros II is true. Tewdros tried to end Northern Zemene Mesafint, but miserably failed due to his brutal methods used to unite the country. Regarding Teodros II here is an eyewitness account written by one of his white prisoners, Henri Blanc, who won his freedom in the “only war the emperor was defeated by” and taken his own life.

“On the afternoon of the 1st of December, Theodore started on his merciless errand, taking with him only the elite of his army, the best mounted and the best walkers amongst his men. He never halted until he came, the next morning, to the foot of the hill on which Gondar is built–a march of more than eighty miles in less than sixteen hours. But though he suddenly pounced upon his enemy, it was too late; the news of his approach had spread faster. The joyous elelta resounded from house to house; the anxious and terrified inhabitants desired to appear happy in presence of the dire calamity such a visit presaged. The rebel’s deputy had left the palace in time, and accompanied by a few hundred horsemen, awaited, at some distance from the town, the result of Theodore’s coming. He had not long to wait. The invaders searched every house, plundered every building, from the churches to the poorest hut, and drove away before them like cattle the 10,000 remaining inhabitants of that large city. Then, the work of destruction began: fire spread from house to house, the churches and palace, the only remarkable buildings the country possessed, became a heap of blackened ruins. But the priests looked sullen; some entreated, others murmured, a few were bold enough to curse; at an order given by Theodore, hundreds of aged priests were hurled into the flames. But his insatiate fury demanded fresh victims. Where were the young girls who had welcomed his entrance. Was it not their joyous shouts that had scared away the rebel? “Let them be brought!” cried the fiend, and these young girls were thrown alive into the fire! The expedition had been successful; Gondar was utterly destroyed. Four inferior churches only had escaped destruction. Gold, silks, dollars were now abundant in the royal camp. Theodore was received on his return to Debra Tabor with all the triumphal honours bestowed on a victor; the Gaffat people went to meet him with lighted torches; and compared him to the pious Hozekiah. If Theodore’s star had been dim before this wanton barbarity, it disappeared altogether from that day: all went against him–success never attended him more.
The burning of Gondar increased immensely the power of the rebels. They advanced steadily and cautiously, seizing district after district, until whole provinces acknowledged their sway, and all joined in anathematizing the sacrilegious monarch who had not hesitated to destroy churches that even the Mussulman Gallas had respected. As long as the soldiers had money the peasants willingly sold them their goods; but this could not last long: soon scarcity prevailed in the camp. Theodore applied to the chiefs; they must use their influence and force the “bad peasant” to bring in more supplies. The peasants would listen no longer; they told the chiefs, “Let the king set you free and then we will do anything you tell us, but now we know that you are only acting under compulsion.” Theodore ordered the chiefs to be tortured: “If they cannot bring grain they must give money.” Some who had a few savings sent them–for torture was worse than poverty; but this did not improve their condition. Theodore believed that they had more, and as they had nothing to give, many died under the daily repetition of the tortures Theodore now inflicted on his prisoners; amongst whom were his bravest soldiers, his staunchest supporters, nay, his bosom friends.”

By any standards, the Tewodros army was defeated pretty easily at Mekdela. Sure, his army had by that time dwindled from 100,000+ to just about 20,000. The British also had more than enough intelligence about Tewodros’ camp at their disposal. The help they got from Yohannis is undoubtedly very crucial since if they had to fight from the red sea all the way to mekdela, many of them would have died, not only from the wars themselves but from thirst and hunger.

Even factoring all these, the victory for Napier at Mekdela was very easy. Super easy.

I mean the classical Tewodros fighting tactics, such as surprise and encirclement, these were missing at that battlefield.

I can’t help it but think Tewodros had NO desire to fight them at all. The fact that the prisoners were never hurt, not even one of them, solidifies me in my belief. On the other hand, Napier was decided in his cause because he just travelled thousands of miles with an army that was considered “huge” by its time standard. The war was asymmetric in terms of initiative and willingness to fight.

My conclusion: the easy defeat at Mekdela had many contributing factors but it was chiefly the result of the lack of iron will on Tewodros’ part to fight the Brits.

Here is what I am talking about. Talk about Hippocratic bunch. I know you are not posting my comments and probibly others that opposes your view so the game is on. I am not a politician nor interested to it but as independent thinking and An proud Oromo I will call up on Oromos and other Ethiopians through what ever means I can if you will continue doing this by the name of Ethiopia, game on. if you and your board have hidden agendas I think I just broke your secret code. My friend watch, what makes you from Meles then?

I totally agree with you. Mr Yilm is out of touch. What the Ethiopian people need is economic growth. Mr Yilam has never suggested any solution to the Ethiopian problems. He just demeaning Mr Meles for the sake of it.

Mr Yilma and his colleagues at the Ethiopian Review seem to depart from realty instead all of them seem to dedicate their time and effort writing unhelpful articles.

#1/Tekle
-Nothing like fact list. That is what Meles labeled, “Minilik did some changes on the surface”. In some ways, he comes through as an insider-outsider in his recollection, attitude and views of Ethiopia’s tcommonly shared history. What he is doing now is on the surface and visable infrastrucure of building with all the aid money. One undeniable fact under this regime is the number of schools and universities that have been opened. A certain % of Ethiopians/EPRDF members have made some gains. In matters of national identity, assured stablity, freedom, economic equality and other major issues there is trouble in under this regime.
—————

#14/Asheber A.
“Tewodros and Minilik could be the Amhara pride; they are definitely not my pride, not the pride of the vast majority of Ethiopians”

-What is your over all ratio break down to be this specific?
———————

“What makes your conquest different from Tewdros is this :you took up arms to dismantle Ethiopia, Tewodros did it to unite Ethiopia” . #15/Beya

-Interesting! specially since Meles in this interview not only over empasized on Tewodros’s means of conquest by arms and eventualy his “fall”, he also attempted to compare him to Derg. The comparison of Tewdros ( A highly idealized and adored hero of symbol of Ethiopian Unity) and the way Meles and Company promote ethnic Fedralism is some what ironic.

-In all of this, contrary to the image he tries to promote of himself as a pacifist, the fact list is observed and documented of his regime’s several violation and Ethiopians in the country complain of a new wave of Tigray “zeregnanet”/inflated ethnic supermacy of some of the 6%.
———-

#19/Meyesaw
Fact list is a good reminder for people in the political center to THINK TWICE.
1,2,3,4,5,8
7,9 and 10 are still open.
-I think the land grab will bring good and bad results and eventualy alter Ethiopian identity in the way that we may not favour specially since the leases are half to one century old.
————-

“Meles Zenawi’s understanding of Ethiopia’s history came from someone telling him what that person thought. It could well be that person knows Ethiopia’s history, but Meles did not dedicate attention developing that memory.” #21/Almazzea

-Actualy, what you said is a valuable suggestion to most of how history could be perceived at times. I think we bare responsiblty to know our history thoroughly from differnt writers and including weigh out what our forefathers’ eye witness experience was in their own participation; and the way it is told and passed to generations to differnt families.
~~~
#21/Almazzea
“The food donated by foreigners to the Somalis is being held off, so as to drive the people out of that region and to lease it for foreign oil companies to develop it for commercial purposes.”

-Are you saying somalia is oil rich ? At present, it is atleast on American media that Somali is officialy declared “famine stricken country”.

Tewodros did NOT fail in his desire to end Zemene Mesafint. It was because he did NOT fail we have a country called Ethiopia. His death at Meqdela was an individual’s death, not his ideal.

By the time he was done with the Zemene Mesafint, there was NO Zemene Mesafint anymore. But to know this, you have to know what “Zemene Mesafint was.” It is unfortunate we have to deal with a monkey faced illiterate tyrant interpreting our history in the most stupid way possible. What is more sad is that he has managed to brainwash people like you into believing completely foolish thoughts such as what you are spewing here.

Another stupid brainwashing that is done by that illiterate monkey face tyrant is that everything that has happened to Ethiopia was self inflicted. Anybody who can just take a glance @ Ethiopian map (that is Geography 101), would quickly understand why Ethiopia suffered through out the centuries. Ofcourse this is NOT mentioned for the sake of religious tolerance, thus it has become impossible for the people to understand just how much sacrifice was made to rebuff agressive, violent Islam. Now I don’t mean people to hate Islam or Muslims but without knowing these things it is impossible to understand the MOST IMPORTANT factor that has set Ethiopia back every time it has tried to move forward.

VERY IMPORTANT: I believe in religious tolerance, and living side by side. I am stating this ONLY for the sake of understanding the facts.

SUDAN, EGYPT were at some point “Christian nations.” THey became muslims, for example in Egypt’s case, around 641 A.D. due to conquest by Arabs. Sudan, specially Sennar became muslim, around 1520, not through change of heart, but through conquest and war. Somalia had also become Muslim. Many Ethiopian parts were islamized during Axumite and later Zagwe times. These parts were constantly waging war against the central government. They even came close to destroying the center in the 16th century ( to wit Ahmed Gragn). Ethiopia was, for most of the centuries, a lonely country fully encircled by Islam North, South, East, West. Ethiopia could have had lost the faith and gained the “world”. But our people chose not to do so and they stood firm throughout the centuries.

Looking at a map of Ethiopia alone would make it clear in what kind of geo-political hell Ethiopia must have found itself in throughout the centuries. Even under such hell fire, our people achieved marvelous things. It is ofcourse easy for an illiterate midget to dismiss all this, since he is the beneficiary of a stabilized situation where the foundations were set by the giants and religious tolerance has become the Norm.

A self brainwashed illiterate midget uttering nonsense can not change the written history of Ethiopia. Neither can he change the geography of that region. He would only manage to bring more and more hate for himself and his robotic zombies.

I think Melese was miss understood, for a change I liked the fact that he is embarrassed about the fact that Oxford dictionary used the name famine in their dictionary as a synonym to the meaning of Ethiopian famine. As a leader he needed to be embarrassed about that, and he was talking the truth, that we all need to be angry and work hard and rely on our own. The only part I sort of didn’t like was he sounded a bit too much Issays Afewerki talking about we need to be self reliant and being embarrassed about food aid. I guess Melese has been sneaking and watching Eritrean TV every night. Cause it is quite clear he has quite well understood Issays’s ideology and seems to finally get it. I wish him all the best. And those of you who seem to go on tantrum about Tewoderose and Minilik, All Melese said is that , tewoderose tried to put part of the north of ethiopia as one country not the modern day Ethiopia, just few states on the north not even reaching shewoa, and finally he failed in his attempt, cause you can’t just force groups of people to be one by military might. I think that is true, and I don’t think he was disrespectful of Tewodrose he has acknowledged he was a good warrior and has won almost won all his battles. plus his comparison of tewoderose to mengistu was only on their approach to military unity. Which Mengestu wanted to keep all x 14 states by force, but Melese knows that is impossible and he was right, we all know the facts in the end. So guys give the man credit where credit is due, don’t just spit hate against this man, just because you don’t like him. I think he is coming around and he is embracing what is to be modern day Ethiopia. Let us stop chauvinistic thinking and hope for better modern day federal Ethiopia. Which is the only way forward, if we plan to stay as one Ethiopian nation.

@#2-Tarik Yifred, gragn Ahmed…. Ethiopian history is not a myth bro! It is a proud history of the entire black race! You can pursue whatever crooked political objectives that you might have, but conspiring against the white man who murdered and sabotaged your brothers for centuries and to say that the history of such a glorious nation as Ethiopia is a myth is completely sick. Superficial knowledge is dangerous, so please, stop echoing the white man’s voice and start reading and using your own brain!

Mamo, based on your points, it is clear that you hate Islam and Muslim Ethiopians so much. People like you, who are the victims of a myth perpetuated by Orthodox Church, are the major obstacle for the creation of perfect unity. When you hurled you rage, you could have thought that Muslim Ethiopians can also claim the same against Portuguese and other Europeans who has done so much to help Christian Ethiopia in order to undermine Muslim Ethiopia. As far as I am concerned, all religions are myth, and therefore I do not promote any. Nevertheless, I am all for religious freedom, equality, and tolerance. Believe me when you become religion free, you free yourself free from blind hate and start to see things rationally. Speaking of religious hate, it suffices to mention hundreds of millions of people murdered in cold blood in the name of religion.

Returning back to your point, it is true that Egypt and Turkey had tried to keep Christian North from any outside contacts. But I can’t stand the false account like yours that considers the clashes between Christian North and Muslim South as a war between Ethiopia and foreign Muslims.

In my previous comment, I mentioned about very important cultural value that we Ethiopian lack: discipline. When you decided to share your point, you could have commented with out attacking anyone’s comment. My comment may not be perfect or true. But it is my thoughts which has nothing to do with you. You can’t force me to believe what you believe like what Tewdros II used to do. So leave me alone and try to focus on the topic, which is Meles’s comments about Tewdros II.

Sennar, which was a Christian state sent its messangers to Atse Libne Dingel for help so that it could defend itself against invasion from the North. Sennar is what is now “North Sudan” and they were invaded by muslim Egypt. Libne Dingel, who was not particularly wise in his decision refused to send hlep and North Sudan was ravaged, massacred, genocided, etc and became Muslim from 1520s onward. Soon enough Libne Dingel had to fight the forces of Adal combined with Turks.

By this time the central Ethiopia was encircled from all sides: all the lowland areas have succumbed to Islam. Somalia – islam. Adeya – Islam. Afar-Islam. Sudan-Islam. Yemen-Islam. Saudi Arabia-Islam. Use ur useless brain to imagine the geo-political hell Ethiopia was in. It was completely surrounded by violent forces who were waging war from all directions to inflict the final blow.

Huge civilisation, such as India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, you name it, fell and became muslim during this time under similiar situation. (btw: India was majority muslim country until recently) Ethiopia was in the very same situation, but it stood firm.

Ethiopia not only survived but it instituted Religious tolerance and managed to have PEACEFUL RELATIONSHIOP between Muslims and Christians since the time of Atse Minelik. Even during derg times, religious tolerance was paramount and you hear no war based on it.

As in everything else in Ethiopia, during The Tyrant Midget’s time we are sensing the backsliding of even this issue to the times we want to forget. The Religious intolerance we have overcome for about a century now is slowly coming back thanks to the monkey-faced midget tyrant. It has now become common to hear “Jimma Christians are massacared”, “Christians are murdered in Dedesa”, “Muslim mosques are set on fire in Anjaro” etc etc. The funny part is all these violences occur ONLY when the Tyrant is particulary challenged, for example during the Arab uprsing:) The particulary backward and primitive ethnic tensions also occur ONLY when the Tyrant senses he is about to loose his grip.

well said #20
It’s quite interesting to note that we’re unfortunately living in a wierd world that has a taste for controlling and exploiting the weak; a heartless world that dislikes majority rule whom have real interest of the marginalized societs at heart. For example, if the peaceloving blameless soul doesn’t oblige according to her toxic way for the sake of his peaple, she invents too many obstacles to trap him into slavery of no return door. The funny thing is she acuses later the blameless her own making messes and presents herself to fix it pretending as innocent caring mother Tressa. If she got invited to do so, the rest is history…..
To put it simply, all the hot matterial love she reserve is only for her minority self-serving dictators and elite opportunists; the corrupt warlords of endless misery brewers. She showers them with her sweet words praise and iresitable reward of lots carrots so the wicked ilegit puppets can feel confident and ready for service while those responsible defendant of unity, equality and justice for all who boldy questions the wisdowm of her conditional aid gets served with unproven defemations and undeserved sticks.
What unjust, unfair and outright racist our planet earth can be some times! Aren’t all your chilren are created equal?
Peace&Love

Mamo, I feel very uncomfortable for using this forum to reply for your innuendo and vitriol. In your last rejoinder, you wrote:

“…. Use ur useless brain to imagine the geo-political hell Ethiopia was in…..”

By looking at this garbage, any one can see that you are very uncivil and unrefined which I think is one of the major reasons why Ethiopia is so poor and backward.

History is always written by winners and therefore it is full of bias and prejudice. I do not have any problem with your interpretation of Ethiopian history. You are entitled to it, and where I live it is called freedom of opinion. Regarding your point, I also I mentioned about the massacre of innocent lives and distractions committed by both Christian expansionists and Muslim jihadists. In my opinion, blaming Jihadists solely for the failures of emperors of Northern Ethiopia is not fair. Besides their crime, chauvinism & prejudice against south, too much debauchery, incompetence, and internal feuding are major reasons for their failure.

This will be my final reply to you. I always choose peace and love over chaos and hate! የመቻቻልና የመከባበር ባህል እናዳብር!

Meles is one of the arrogant old fashion leader, however he is right on the money about the so called Ethiopian leaders. Meles is also kind and been a gentleman describing those public enemies, so sorry chauvinists and ego-centrists, but it is truuuuuue

Meles didn’t just come out of the blue and set up an interview to ridiculously comment on Tewodros. Their is a nice new book out on Atse Tewodros LeEthiopia , Tinantim Zarew Negem, By Amare Afele Bshaw. This book is giving the woyane regime a huge head ache

Meles Meles Meles I am better than Zemene mesafint and Fudalism Look at me
I am the best My friend wake up you are in the twenty century where people are equial who ever they are we need LOVE not hate I am sorry may be that
banda father of yours teach you the rong thing please donot psss it to your kids when Isee your daughter carrying klishincov I knew you are a wirdo……

Hagos it seems that you know woyannes better than we do,after some observation of the jungle boys (woyannes)that they are still in their caves except looting Ethiopian resources

Meles didn’t just come out of the blue and set up an interview to ridiculously comment on Tewodros. Their is a nice new book out on Atse Tewodros LeEthiopia , Tinantim Zarew Negem, By Amare Afele Bshaw. This book is giving the woyane regime a huge head ache

Ewnetu (wanted to be intellectual based on lies) there is no land of extremes in Ethiopia except in yours and the other cult members mind all the way from your jungle time on wards that the Ethiopians has prooved your theory wrong during election 97 with one voice and it was the time where you started using your iron fist primitive act either you are with us or with the truth if you are on the other side the we show you who we are killing trying to make Addis oromia capital over night throwing judge Bertukan to jail and a slow tactical killing of generations and and and which will make about 1000 books after woyannes toppling.